The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) said Thursday it has established a full-lifecycle safety verification system covering nuclear power plants from new construction to continued operation and decommissioning. The commission also plans to further strengthen physical defense systems against threats such as drone attacks.
The NSSC held a field briefing Wednesday at the Saeul Nuclear Power Plant in Ulju County, Ulsan, announcing major achievements in nuclear and radiation safety regulation over the past year, along with progress in building a disaster response framework for nuclear accidents.
In November last year, the commission approved the accident management plan and granted continued operation permission for Kori Unit 2, opening the door for nuclear plant lifespan extensions for the first time in 10 years since Wolsong Unit 1. Through this process, the NSSC raised severe accident response capabilities to the level of new reactors and redefined review standards for the remaining nine reactors whose design lifespans have expired or are about to expire.
"We have established a safety verification system covering the entire nuclear plant lifecycle, including the operating permit for the new Saeul Unit 3 and the approval of the decommissioning plan for Kori Unit 1, Korea's first commercial reactor," NSSC Chairman Choi Won-ho said.
The commission has also begun building a regulatory foundation for small modular reactors (SMRs) in line with next-generation nuclear technology.
Last year, the NSSC prepared procedural rules for alternative application of technical standards and review guidelines, completing preparations for the standard design approval review of the innovative SMR (i-SMR). In February this year, the commission also established the "SMR Regulatory System Roadmap," which calls for a phased overhaul of the current regulatory framework over the next five years to reflect the distinct characteristics of SMRs compared with conventional large reactors.
Disaster response capabilities for radiological emergencies are also being strengthened. When the Hanbit Regional Radiological Emergency Command Center is completed next month, the country will have a total of eight radiological disaster command facilities. The new center provides an accident response hub outside the 30-kilometer radius of nuclear plants, in case on-site command centers within 5 to 15 kilometers are paralyzed by simultaneous incidents like the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.
In particular, with drone attacks on nuclear plants emerging as a new security threat, the commission has been focusing on related response drills since this year. On the same day, the NSSC unveiled a response drill simulating an illegal drone intrusion at the construction site of Saeul Unit 4. As of last month, Saeul Unit 4 had reached 97.9 percent completion and is targeted for completion in the second half of this year.
If a drone carrying explosives enters the site, the plant operator must detect the drone using an RF scanner and neutralize it with a portable jammer. In the event of an explosion, the operator must immediately notify relevant agencies to carry out site access control, fire suppression, explosives analysis, and apprehension of the drone operator. The NSSC is responsible for evaluating the entire response process.
"The NSSC will continue to deliver nuclear and radiation safety management that the public can trust through rigorous, science-based safety regulation and transparent communication," Choi said.
